New Suspected Cases of Hantavirus Infection Found in Spain and Tristan da Cunha

April 26, Kathmandu – Following the outbreak of hantavirus infections originating from a cruise ship, two new suspected cases have been identified in Spain and the remote South Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha as of Friday. The potential spread of the virus across geographically distant regions thousands of miles apart has raised concerns. However, the World Health Organization has clarified that the overall risk to the general public remains low. To date, three deaths have been attributed to this outbreak.

In Alicante province, Spain, a 32-year-old woman exhibiting hantavirus symptoms is undergoing specialized medical testing. She had traveled on a flight alongside a Dutch woman infected on the cruise ship, MV Hondius. According to Health Minister Javier Padilla, the Dutch woman became ill and disembarked in Johannesburg before the flight departed, where she later died following treatment.

Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency has reported a suspected infection in a British man residing on Tristan da Cunha island. The man is confirmed to have been a passenger on the same Dutch cruise ship during mid-April. Technical officer Aness Leguand from the World Health Organization emphasized that given the virus’s nature and transmission rate, human-to-human spread is unlikely to occur easily and thus there is no cause for panic. The cruise, which began in March with roughly 150 passengers from Argentina, was en route toward African waters via Antarctica. Officials have confirmed the strain as the Andes variant of hantavirus, the only type known to transmit between humans. Medical experts note that the virus spreads only through prolonged and close contact. The ship is currently being monitored in maritime zones near Cape Verde.